Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 475 The Choice of That Year

In that bottomless, dark, and gloomy cave, the faint candlelight flickered like a candle dying in the wind. As time passed, this last glimmer of light gradually dimmed and eventually went out completely. In an instant, the entire cave was swallowed by endless darkness, as if even the air itself had frozen.

Sasuke Uchiha stood there quietly, expressionless, listening to the masked man recount the entire story. Every word struck him like a hammer blow, stirring up a storm within him. When the masked man finished speaking, Sasuke's body trembled involuntarily, and an uncontrollable rage erupted from the depths of his heart.

The Uchiha clan, long considered the pride and hope of their family, had been massacred for such absurd and cruel reasons! This truth, like a sharp dagger, mercilessly pierced Sasuke's already wounded heart. Everything he had once firmly believed in now seemed like a complete deception. The feeling of betrayal and being fooled made him realize that his past life had been a colossal joke.

At this moment, the hatred in Sasuke's heart burned like a raging fire, growing ever stronger. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, and blood trickled down his fingers, but he was oblivious to it. The desire for revenge had consumed his entire being, and he vowed to make those behind the scenes pay a terrible price.

Uchiha Itachi, a figure whose fate was fraught with hardship and tragedy, remained steadfast in his belief that he was a ninja of Konoha until the very end. He carried a heavy burden of mission and endless suffering, yet his loyalty to Konoha never wavered.

From a young age, Itachi Uchiha displayed extraordinary talent and intelligence. However, the escalating tensions between his clan and the village forced him to make a difficult choice. To protect the peace of Konoha and prevent a civil war from causing even greater disaster, he personally destroyed his own clan, becoming a traitor in the eyes of many.

Despite this, Itachi Uchiha never forgot his responsibility as a Konoha ninja. He silently endured the misunderstanding and scorn of the world, wandering alone in the shadows, carrying out unknown missions. Even after joining the Akatsuki, he remained devoted to Konoha, secretly protecting the village's safety.

In his final moments, Itachi Uchiha engaged in a life-or-death battle with his younger brother, Sasuke. He guided Sasuke's growth in his own way, ultimately passing on his profoundly meaningful eye power to him without revealing the truth. At that moment, Itachi finally let go of all his burdens and departed this world as a true Konoha ninja.

Itachi Uchiha's life was one of struggle and sacrifice. He remained true to his identity as a Konoha ninja until his death, demonstrating loyalty and righteousness in his own unique way.

However, what is unexpected is that all the efforts that Itachi Uchiha made with all his might seemed so absurd and ridiculous to his younger brother Sasuke Uchiha, who was full of hatred and misunderstanding!

It's important to understand that Itachi Uchiha sacrificed his own precious life and even orchestrated the tragic annihilation of the entire Uchiha clan. However, these heroic acts not only failed to bring true peace and stability, but also triggered a series of unforeseen chain reactions.

The most prominent among them was the Hyuga clan, another powerful and influential family in Konoha. They resolutely chose to leave Konoha, their former home, and embark on a difficult journey to find and establish a place of refuge entirely for their own clan.

This decision undoubtedly cast a heavy shadow over the already turbulent situation, and also made Sasuke Uchiha deeply question whether the enormous sacrifices made by Itachi Uchiha were worthwhile. Could the Uchiha clan at that time have chosen to leave Konoha and establish their own home, like the Hyuga clan, instead of being completely wiped out by Konoha?

Uchiha Itachi, the hero who once silently protected Konoha, made an incredibly difficult and painful decision to personally annihilate his own Uchiha clan in order to protect the village from annihilation.

He knew full well the heavy price this action would pay, but for the peace and tranquility of Konoha, he resolutely threw himself into the darkness. However, Konoha failed to understand his predicament and spirit of sacrifice, instead blaming and scorning him.

Those unaware of the truth enjoyed the peace that Itachi Uchiha had sacrificed everything for, yet they regarded him as a cold-blooded murderer and a treacherous traitor. They looked at him with contempt and hatred, as if he were the greatest sinner in Konoha's history. But who knew the immense torment Itachi Uchiha endured in those countless lonely nights?

He bore the heavy burden of this infamy alone, silently dedicating everything to Konoha. His figure faded into the darkness, leaving behind only desolation and loneliness. Even at the moment of his death, he did not choose to reveal the hidden truth to Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke Uchiha's eyes, which had been lost in memories of the past, gradually changed. Initially, a faint glimmer of nostalgia flickered in them, as if one could see through the river of time the warm years spent with his brother. However, after this brief moment of reminiscence, his gaze suddenly turned incredibly ferocious and terrifying!

He clenched his teeth, his cheeks bulging with anger, veins popping on his forehead, his hands unconsciously forming fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, even drawing blood. At that moment, his heart was filled with endless rage and resentment.

How could he accept this? His brother, who had always protected Konoha, who had paid any price to protect his younger brother, even sacrificing his own precious life, had left this world bearing everyone's infamy and heavy sins! Sasuke couldn't bear this unfair ending. He felt that the whole world owed his brother a debt, and those who didn't know the truth were even more unforgivable!

At this moment, Sasuke Uchiha's feelings for Konoha were completely consumed by hatred. The village that once gave him warmth and a sense of belonging now appeared utterly hideous in his eyes.

Konoha Village now presents a peaceful and stable scene, but all of this was achieved at a terrible price paid by Itachi Uchiha. It was Itachi Uchiha who, at the cost of the blood and lives of the entire Uchiha clan, exchanged this superficial prosperity for Konoha Village. Yet, the people living on this land so comfortably and recklessly enjoy this hard-won peace and stability.

What Sasuke found even more intolerable was that these people not only showed no gratitude towards Itachi Uchiha, but instead unjustly accused him of all sorts of sins. They wantonly slandered and defamed Itachi, as if he were an unforgivable criminal. But who could truly understand the pain and helplessness in Itachi's heart? Who knew how much suffering and torment he endured to protect Konoha and his beloved younger brother?

Sasuke grew increasingly furious. He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, drawing blood down his fingers. He vowed to make Konoha pay a heavy price for their actions and to make everyone understand the greatness and sacrifice of Itachi Uchiha.

The mysterious masked man seemed to possess eyes that could see into people's hearts, easily piercing through Uchiha Sasuke's deepest thoughts. A meaningful smile played on his lips as he spoke slowly in a seductive tone: "Over the years, in this long history, the ninja world has witnessed one breathtaking war after another. And each time the flames of war ignited, the Uchiha clan always rushed to the forefront without hesitation, undertaking the most arduous and dangerous tasks. They risked their lives, fighting bloody battles, all to protect their beliefs and their homeland. However, what is chilling is that even with such immense sacrifices, the Uchiha clan has never received the respect and peaceful treatment they deserve. On the contrary, led by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and with the ruthless Danzo Shimura assisting him, the Konoha high command has relentlessly suspected, suppressed, and even openly coerced the Uchiha clan!"

Your brother, Uchiha Itachi, was a legendary and incredibly admirable figure. He resolutely chose to protect the peace of Konoha and ensure you could have a stable and happy life. However, this choice burdened him with all the sins and darkness of the world.

Even at the final moment, when he was forced to ruthlessly kill his own Uchiha clan, how many people could truly understand the pain and struggle he endured? In reality, he acted this way because he received a cruel order from Shimura Danzo.

At that time, he faced the most difficult choice of his life. He had only two paths before him: First, to let Konoha devote all its resources to annihilating the Uchiha clan. While this would completely eradicate the Uchiha clan, Konoha itself would suffer severe damage and its strength would be greatly weakened. This situation could very likely trigger a new Shinobi World War, plunging countless innocent people into misery. Second, he could personally lead the vanguard, eliminating the core forces of the Uchiha clan first. This way, he could ensure his continued safety in Konoha while preserving the village's overall strength to the greatest extent possible, allowing it to maintain its ability to maintain peace.